Communications Infrastructure Services

Communications Services has developed both construction and wiring standards for UCSB campus buildings. These standards provide a single physical distribution system for voice, non-voice signaling, data, and video systems. The standards support both academic and residential buildings and services. All standards are based on the EIA/TIA and IEEE standards for commercial and residential buildings. There are some exceptions to the EIA/TIA and IEEE resulting from campus local adoption of wiring standards prior to action by the national groups.

All requests to obtain Engineering documents shall be coordinated through the Engineering Department within Communications Services. Architects and engineers wishing to integrate text or drawings into their projects may obtain AutoCAD, DWG, and Pdf. drawing files of the illustrations upon request.

Interior communications cabling is covered in detail in the UCSB CIS Rev. 2010-03-15 B# document, including the Category 6A workstation cabling now standard as of Jan.1, 2015, Category 6A and Category 3 risers, and Single mode fiber optic cabling, jacks, patch panels, and jumpers. All cables are to be Plenum rated.

For the convenience of planners, architects and consultants, we have provided a "quick-start" set of guidelines for communications projects. These projects summarize the essential inside and outside construction standards and the inside construction and wiring requirements for projects. They also provide a simple list of cost estimating guidelines to support "order of magnitude" budgeting for project communications. Communications Services will provide detailed cost projections for any project under a campus work order.

Communications Services designs and constructs additions to the campus fiber optic network as part of both renovations and new building construction. In addition, the Office of Information Technology funds specific fiber optic cable segments based on the expansion of the campus Next Generation Backbone Network.

The campus fiber optic cable plant is built on building-to-building cable segments which are jumpered or spliced in buildings, as needed to form the required fiber optic point-to-point circuit. Fiber segment configuration has evolved over 20 years of cable placement, and fiber optic cable segments are composed of varying counts of multi-mode, single mode, and composite multi-mode/single-mode fibers.

The fiber optic network is available for campus use without recurring costs. There is a one-time cost for fiber allocation, attachment, and testing. This is charged to a work order from the campus departments requesting that fiber usage.

Documentation of the fiber cable plant, including routes, composition of fiber optic segments, measurements, test results and proposed expansion, is maintained by the Engineering Group of Communications Services.

Communications Services is the campus point of contact for the review and documentation of all antenna installations on campus property, including broadcast and private radio, cellular, wireless data, and satellite reception.

The campus has a full review procedure for new radio and wireless services requested on campus, including those requiring FCC licensing. Integrity of campus structures which support antenna installation is critical and Communications Services works with Facilities Management and the campus review agencies to provide reliable installations within guidelines established by the campus.